World Briefs: March 28

KARACHI — A senior U.S. envoy promised Thursday that Washington would not interfere in Pakistan's politics to save longtime ally President Pervez Musharraf, but he was cautious on the new government's hopes to talk peace with pro-Taliban forces.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte offered little defense for Musharraf, the former army general whose help in combatting Islamic extremists was deemed crucial by Washington after the Sept. 11 attack on the United States.

Any debate "with regard to the issue of his status is something that will have to be addressed by the internal Pakistani political process," Negroponte said, alluding to calls for Musharraf to resign and an impeachment threat from an incoming government bent on slashing presidential powers.

IN BRIEF

BELGIUM

E.U. warns Italy over tainted mozzarella

BRUSSELS — The European Union ordered Italy on Thursday to take "urgent measures" to make sure mozzarella tainted with dioxin does not end up on store shelves, warning that otherwise it would impose an EU-wide ban on the popular cheese.

The European Commission said Italian health officials had not taken sufficient steps to guard against health problems, such as recalling potentially tainted cheese or doing enough monitoring of affected farms in the Campania region.

The scare involves only mozzarella from the Naples area. But the EU's warning covers all of Campania, the southern farm region where the soft, milky cheese is made.

ARGENTINA

Striking farmers willing to negotiate

BUENOS AIRES — Striking farmers blockading Argentine roadways said Thursday they are willing to hold talks with the government if it is prepared to roll back a major tax hike on soybeans and other farm exports.

President Cristina Fernandez has vehemently opposed reducing the taxes she announced March 11.

Fernandez was expected to speak about the bitter nationwide strike along with her husband, former President Nestor Kirchner, at a rally later Thursday. Hundreds of supporters of the president's left-leaning coalition gathered to await her arrival.

NETHERLANDS

Lawmaker releases film critical of Islam

AMSTERDAM — A Dutch lawmaker released a film highly critical of Islam on Thursday, setting verses of the Muslim holy book against a background of violent images from terrorist attacks.

Geert Wilders posted his 15-minute film on a Web site. Shortly afterward, Dutch television channels showed segments of the film and broadcast discussions by analysts on the possible impact of its release.

The Dutch government had warned Wilders that a film offensive to Muslims could spark violent protests in Islamic countries, like those two years ago after European newspapers published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

HAITI

Rebel wanted by U.S. to run for Senate

PORT-AU-PRINCE — A former Haitian rebel wanted by the U.S. on drug-trafficking charges said Thursday that he plans to run for Senate.

Guy Philippe, whose rebel band helped topple President Jean-Bertrand Aristide during a 2004 revolt, has been in hiding since U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Haitian police raided his home in July.

"You don't need to look hard for me because there are going to be elections," Philippe told Radio Vision 2000 in a telephone interview — without revealing his location. "I am going to be a candidate for Senate."

The legislative elections, originally scheduled for last November, were postponed as Haiti launched an investigation into fraud allegations at its electoral council. A new date has not been set.

ENGLAND

Military admits human rights abuse

LONDON — The British military admitted Thursday that some of its troops breached the human rights of an Iraqi man who died in custody and of eight other detained Iraqis.

The Ministry of Defense said it expects to negotiate compensation for the survivors of the dead man, Baha Mousa, and with the eight former detainees.

The nine were taken into custody as suspected insurgents, then were held in stress positions and deprived of sleep for about two days in extreme heat at a British army barracks near the southern Iraqi city of Basra in September 2003, prosecutors told a British military court.